The IPC Rising Star award is given to individuals who have shown significant leadership ability in the past five years, making an impact on IPC and the electronics industry because of their support to IPC standards, education, advocacy and solutions to industry challenges.

Yusaku Kono, Japan Unix, an active IPC volunteer, has dedicated the past three years to enhancing the value of IPC standards among Japanese electronics manufacturers. Kono serves on the IPC-A-610 Automotive Addendum Task Group and the J-STD-001 Task Group.

Pierre-Emmanuel Goutorbe, Airbus, is a PCB expert, covering PCB development, PCB-related standards and PCB technical support for all space projects at Airbus’ European sites. Goutorbe serves on seven standards development committees at IPC, including the Base Materials Roundtable Task Group, the IPC-6012 Aerospace Addendum Task Group, the Rigid Printed Board Performance Specifications Task Group and the Terms and Definitions Committee.

“Both Pierre-Emmanuel and Yusaku have taken on strong leadership roles in IPC, and we and the entire electronics industry have benefited from their skills and expertise,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “We are very fortunate that they have chosen to share their knowledge with IPC and the industry at large.”

For more information on the IPC Rising Star Award and this year's award recipients, contact Sandy Gentry, IPC communications director, at +1 847-597-2871.

IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 4,300 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Brussels, Belgium; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.